Jamaica Anansi Stories/The Fifer

by Martha Warren Beckwith

139. The Fifer.

Richard Roe, Maroon Town, Cock-pit country.

There's a boy once, mother got only the one boy an' 'he love him so much that 'he give him a flute. So one day they go to far groun' an' coming back the boy leave the flute at the groun'. When he catch half-way, he remember it an' he tell him papa. Papa say to go back for it, but he mus' be careful not to blow it coming back because he got a lot of wil' beasts to pass. So as he come home he begin to blow,[1]

Min-nie, Min-nie, wa-yo da Lim-ba,

Min-nie, Min nie wa-yo da Lim-ba.

Min-nie, Min-nie wa-yo da Lim-ba,

Min-nie, Min-nie wa-yo da Lim-ba.

Wild beast rush out, say, "Who's dat blowing de pipe, sah?"--"Oh, no, not me blowing!" An' go 'way, blow again. Wil' beast rush out. "Ha! you?" "No, grandpapa, not me blowing!"--"Den who blowing?"--"He gone on befo', massa; not me blowing!"--"Blow, let me see."--"Flee flitty flee, flee flitty flee."

Wil' beast go away. He commence the right tune now,

"Minnie Minnie, wa-yo da lim-ba,

Minnie Minnie, wa-yo da lim-ba,

Minnie Minnie, wa-yo da lim-ba."

(Wild beast rush out, catch him, compel him to play.)

"Ah, I catch you now, sah! Play de tune now, sah I blow, sah!"

Then he began to blow the right tune, both dance. Different wil' beats--Tiger, Asoonah, all the wil' beasts come out an' dance. An' the father get frightened, come shoot all the wild beasts, all drop save him boy. An' flog the boy.

[1. The song was sung by Alfred Williams.]